These bakery-style double chocolate chip muffins are topped with a creamy SunButter swirl for the perfect chocolatey, nutty flavor. The muffins are thick, moist and fluffy, packed with ooey-gooey chocolate chips. Below you’ll find ingredient notes, method, and tips to help you achieve tall, bakery-style muffin tops.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredient notes
- How to make double chocolate chip muffins
- Tips & tricks
- Equipment required
- How to store the chocolate muffins
- FAQ
- Related recipes
Why you’ll love this recipe
Fudgy chocolate: The batter and generous chocolate chips deliver rich, fudgy chocolate flavor.
Bakery-style texture: Soft, fluffy and tall muffin tops—just like a bakery muffin.
Peanut- and nut-free option: SunButter provides that classic chocolate-and-nutty pairing without peanuts or tree nuts.
Simple method: Easy to make and no stand mixer required.
Ingredient notes
SunButter: A sunflower seed butter used here as a nut-free alternative. It’s swirled on top for flavor and visual appeal.
Dutch-process cocoa: Less acidic and has a deeper chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa can be substituted.
Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream adds moisture and richness for a tender crumb.
Instant coffee: A small amount enhances the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste.
Oil: Vegetable oil keeps the muffins moist and fudgy compared to butter.
Chocolate chips: Use chips rather than chopped chocolate so they hold shape and create the desired “double chocolate” texture.
How to make double chocolate chip muffins
1. Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, sour cream, instant coffee, oil and water until smooth.
2. Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Combine: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined—do not overmix.
4. Fold in chips: Fold the chocolate chips into the batter. Optionally, cover and chill the batter for a few hours to improve texture.
5. Fill, swirl and bake: Spoon the batter into prepared liners, add 2–3 teaspoons of SunButter on top of each muffin, swirl with a skewer, and sprinkle extra chocolate chips. Bake as directed in the recipe below.
Tips & tricks
Only fill every other cavity: Leaving empty spaces between filled cups improves heat circulation and encourages taller tops.
Do not overmix: Overmixing develops gluten and yields dense muffins instead of light, fluffy ones.
Rest the batter: Cover and chill the batter 4–12 hours to relax gluten and hydrate the dry ingredients for a softer, taller muffin.
Weigh ingredients: Weighing yields consistent results—cup measures can vary significantly.
Start hot: Begin baking at a higher temperature for a few minutes to get an initial rise, then lower the oven to finish baking evenly.
Sift cocoa powder: Cocoa tends to clump—sift it with the flour to avoid lumps.
Equipment required
Muffin pan: A good-quality muffin tin works best for even baking.
Hand mixer (optional): Makes mixing quicker but is not essential.
Muffin liners: Tulip or tall liners produce the large bakery-style muffins shown; standard liners are fine for regular-size muffins.
How to store the chocolate muffins
Room temperature: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezer: Freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
FAQ
Yes — natural cocoa can be used, though Dutch-process cocoa gives a deeper, less acidic flavor.
Buttermilk or a homemade buttermilk substitute is a better swap than plain milk to retain moisture and tang.
Yes. Store baked muffins using the instructions above, or rest the batter in the fridge up to 12 hours before baking.
See tips above: rest the batter, start baking at a higher temperature, and space out filled cavities for better heat circulation.
No — the small amount of instant coffee enhances the chocolate without adding a noticeable coffee flavor.
Yes, melted butter can be used, but expect a slightly less moist muffin than with oil.
Related recipes
Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
Glazed Banana Streusel Muffins
Peanut Free Monster Cookies using SunButter
SunButter Double Chocolate Chip Loaf
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Double Chocolate Chip Muffins with SunButter Swirl (Bakery Style)
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Ingredients
- (240g) All purpose flour — 2 cups
- (50g) Dutch-processed cocoa — 1/2 cup
- Baking powder — 1 tsp
- Baking soda — 1/2 tsp
- Kosher salt — 1/2 tsp
- Large eggs — 2
- (200g) White sugar — 1 cup
- (120g) Full-fat sour cream — 1 cup
- (110g) Vegetable oil — 1/2 cup
- (120g) Water, at room temperature — 1/2 cup
- Vanilla — 1 1/2 tsp
- Instant coffee — 1 tsp
- (315g) Semi-sweet chocolate chips — 1 3/4 cups
- (120g) SunButter for swirling — 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare a muffin tin with liners (8 large tulip liners or 12 standard liners).
- In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, sour cream, oil, water, vanilla and instant coffee until smooth and combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- For best texture, cover and chill the batter 4–12 hours. This step is optional but helps produce taller, softer muffins.
- Portion the batter into liners using a cookie scoop, taking care not to deflate the batter. Spoon 2–3 teaspoons of SunButter onto each muffin and swirl with a toothpick. Top with extra chocolate chips.
- For large muffins: Bake at 425°F for 6 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For standard muffins: Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 16–18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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